Award-Winning Studio

We're a team of designers and developers with a history of creating engaging, high-profile software products.

Passionate About Design

Our designers honed their skills at Apple and other design-centric companies, and we're obsessed with user experience design. We'll make your product look good, feel good, and work the way that it should.

Technically Exceptional

Our developers create high-performance code for web, mobile, and cross-platform apps. And we like a challenge, whether it's building the first social world on Google Earth or developing some of the first apps for the iPhone.

We Deliver

Every project is different, but we've done this before. A lot. As our clients will tell you, we'll do what it takes to turn your vision into a high-quality product that your users will love.

OurClients

I was impressed not just with their technical abilities, but also with the way that they worked with our team at LeapFrog, including producers, designers, and system administrators.

- Dean Burris, Senior Director of Software Engineering

LeapFrog

They were a delight to work with; very collaborative and always seemed to have new and creative ideas to offer. The project timeline and budget were met as outlined in their original proposal, and the resulting project received numerous accolades from users.

- Kelly Pope, VP of Internet Technology

Classroom Connect

The Spinapse team has been critical to the success of several recent development projects at Achieve. They worked diligently with us and gave their close attention to every detail of the project.

- Rivki Locker, Chief Operating Officer

Achieve3000

What We Do

We provide a full range of services, including design, development, testing, and data analytics. Our team has extensive experience in content development for education, healthcare, and consumer products.

Design

User experience design (UX)

User interface design (UI)

Instructional design

Game design

User stories & personas

Visual design

Animation

Prototyping

User testing

Development

Mobile development (Native)

Mobile development (HTML5, AIR)

Web development (HTML5, CSS)

JavaScript, ActionScript, Flash

Bootstrap, JQuery, AngularJS

Amazon Web Services

PHP, MySQL, MongoDB

Facebook, Twitter, Social API's

Game and physics engines

Data Analytics

Analytics and Data Management

Google Analytics

Flurry

Parse

Custom data systems

Data dashboards

Data messaging systems

Analytics for prototype testing

Custom cloud computing (AWS)

Award-Winning Products

Best Education Program for Adolescents

SPA Codies

Seal of Excellence

Parents' Choice Gold Award

Best of the Best

EDDIE Awards

Editor's Choice Award

Newsweek Magazine

Award of Excellence

NewMedia INVISION Awards

Platinum Award

Oppenheim Toy Portfolio

Seal of Quality

The Family Channel

Best Family Game of the Year

MacHome Magazine

OurWork

Sparker - The Game of Games

This social game platform lets you play with your friends using Facebook, Twitter, email, or chat.
Each game takes 60 seconds or less, and players can create their own challenges by taking photos or choosing music. Sparker runs on a custom-built AWS backend.

LeapTV

Client: LeapFrog

Spinapse helped develop the User Management system for LeapFrog's new LeapTV. The LeapTV platform is one of LeapFrog's flagship products and was nominated for the 2015 Toy of the Year Award by the Toy Industry Association.

Health Education

Client: UCSF

Spinapse worked with UCSF to develop this interactive tool that educates patients about cancer screening. The tablet-based app is designed to promote preventative healthcare and better communication between patients and physicians. The project is funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Biology

Client: Achieve3000

Achieve3000 is one of the fastest growing sources of differentiated reading instruction for grades K-12. Spinapse designed the new UI and user-experience enhancements for Achieve3000's online Biology course, including three unique experiences for different age groups.

Se Bella

Client: Procter & Gamble

Se Bella is one of two story-based apps that we developed in partnership with Alteraction. The game features an engaging spy theme and intricate branching that lets users play over and over without repeating the story. This multi-platform game can be played on Facebook as well as on mobile phones and tablets.

LeapTV

Client: UCSF

Spinapse developed this mobile app for UCSF to help women manage their weight during pregnancy. It includes tools for tracking your progress and techniques for staying healthy. The app uses a cross-platform framework for iOS / Android, and it ties into a HIPPA-compliant backend built on Amazon Web Services.

K-3 Math and ELA

Client: McGraw-Hill

Spinapse managed production for this large-scale online product for K-3 Math and ELA, with activities that support core curriculum standards. The production process included multiple disciplines and large teams located domestically and internationally.

Google Earth: Travel Game

Client: Jeff Katz

Spinapse designed and developed the Travel Game, a world of games, contests, and social sharing that takes place inside a 3D Planet Earth. As one of the most innovative uses of Google Earth to date, the Travel Game was prominently featured by Google at their annual Google I/O conference.

Primary Sources

Client: Library of Congress

Developed with True North Studios and Classroom Connect, Primary Sources includes original works from the Library of Congress and unique tools for exploring the sources. It was awarded the "Best of the Best" in the EDDIE Awards.

PBS: The Piano Guy

Client: Scott Houston Enterprises

We developed three iPhone / iPad apps for Scott Houston, the host of the popular PBS series The Piano Guy. Each app includes extensive video lessons to teach you how to play popular songs on the piano.

Teacher Education

Client: Classroom Connect

This Classroom Connect website was designed to help teachers improve the quality and effectiveness of their reading instruction, as well as convey best practices for curriculum development. We produced 40 videos and developed over 100 Flash applications for this large online professional development site.

Destination Reading

Client: Riverdeep

Destination Reading is an online program to improve core skills for grades K-8. We designed activities to enable large-scale production of customized content within budget. We also designed systems for collaboration between international teams of art, development, and instructional design personnel.

Propel Reading and Math

Client: Kaplan K12 Learning

Way No Way

Way No Way is a trivia game filled with amazing facts, almost-amazing humor, and numerous opportunities to compete with other players around the world. This popular game runs on mobile devices and had an extended run in the top 20 trivia apps in the Apple Store.

Encyclopedia of Life

Client: Harvard University

Patient Journal

Client: Josie King Foundation

Spinapse developed this mobile journal for the Josie King Foundation as a tool for patients to keep track of important information while in the hospital. The app is part of the foundation's effort to give patients more control over their own healthcare.

The Tourist

Client: Mile26 / FilmDistrict

Spinapse developed promotional websites to showcase major FilmDistrict movie releases, including The Tourist, Drive, The Rum Diary, Insidious, and Soul Surfer. Technologies included Flash, HTML, and CSS, with art design by Mile26.

Family Tree

Client: Ancestry.com

Club Ciel

Client: Coca-Cola

We developed this immersive story-based game in partnership with Alteraction. The game delivers high user-engagement, extended replayability, and social features that take advantage of the Facebook platform.

Flip Video

Client: Pure Digital

We developed the application that ships with Flip Video Camcorders and enables users to organize, edit, and share their videos with friends and family. Users can also create theme-based movies and upload their videos to sharing sites such as YouTube and AOL.

Apps and Games

Client: Better Homes and Gardens

We developed several apps and games for Better Homes and Gardens and other Meredith websites. Projects included Arrange a Room, Build a Snowman, Carve a Pumpkin, Plan a Deck, Plan a Garden, and others.

Star Wars: Anakin's Speedway

Client: Lucas Learning

Lucas Learning asked us to design several creativity tools for young kids based on characters from Star Wars: Episode 1. Lucas chose Anakin's Speedway, a game that lets kids build their own tracks for pod racing.

Mi Focus O Lucia

Client: Ford

Spinapse developed this immersive story-based game in partnership with Alteraction. The compelling characters and intricate branching logic helped the game deliver unusually high numbers for user engagement. This multi-platform game can be played on Facebook as well as on mobile phones and tablets.

Diffle

Photo Hunt in Hawaii

This follow-on to the popular Photo Hunt in Yellowstone game takes you to the Hawaiian Islands, where you search for photo assignments and learn about the culture, history, and natural wonders of Hawaii.

Suspects and Clues

OurTeam

John Taylor

John graduated from Stanford University in 1983 with degrees in English and Biology. He was a founding member of Oracle’s first Multimedia Department. In 1992, John studied educational software design at the MIT Media Lab and at the Harvard School of Education, where he received his Masters degree. He worked as a designer on WGBH’s Interactive NOVA series, then went on to produce family entertainment CD-ROMs for Apple Computer. John formed his own company in 1994 and has produced, designed, and programmed titles for clients such as Electronic Arts, Lucas Learning, and the Disney Channel. John also managed the content-development department at Organic Online and was a senior producer and designer for the first multiplayer games at shockwave.com. Projects include the award-winning Math Heads series, a Star Wars product for kids, and new services for TiVo.

Bill Purdy

Bill received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cognitive Psychology from Northwestern University in 1981 and a Masters degree in Educational Technology from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education in 1988. He worked on the original Interactive NOVA series at WGBH-TV and helped produce several multimedia projects for Apple’s Multimedia Lab. In 1990, he formed his own company, and produced the award-winning “Teaching, Learning & Technology” for Apple Computer. Since then, Bill has developed hundreds of programs including CD-ROM titles, museum exhibits, eLearning modules, UI designs, custom tools, professional development videos, casual games and iPhone applications.

Bryan Purse

Bryan has been working as an interactive designer and animator for the past 15 years. Upon receiving a degree in illustration from Ringling school of Art and Design, Bryan turned his focus to digital media. Since the early incarnation of interactive design, Bryan has provided his strong sense of color and design to numerous technology and educational projects for companies such as Apple Computer, WebTV, Macromedia, Lightspan, Disney Interactive, NEC, and Compaq. He has worked with Handtap Communications to create graphic content for clients such as Nokia, Sprint, ATT and Palm, and has created content for wireless devices such as PDA’s and cellphones. Bryan is an expert Flash artist and has created designs and animations for many of the web’s most popular sites, including shockwave.com and Better Homes and Gardens.

Tom Fiene

Tom has worked as a developer and interface designer for more than 20 years. He has built many consumer titles for CD-ROM and the web and was the lead programmer for widely distributed products by Creative Wonders, MSN, Oracle, Apple Computer, and numerous other clients. Tom has also written software for consumer products such as Excite@Home cable networks and the Flip Video Camcorder. He has been using Director and Flash for many years and has consulted for Macromedia / Adobe on high-profile demos of their Director and Flash products. Tom has a B.S. in computer science from Lewis and Clark.

Michele Wright

Michele has been designing websites, custom software packages and print collateral for over 16 years. She began her career in the heart of Silicon Valley when the industry was in its infancy. She's a versatile full-stack developer with html/css and backend programming/database skills, SEO optimization, print and marketing/advertising experience.

Robin Hirsh

Robin is a veteran Cameraman/DP whose extensive award-winning credits in the media community include PBS, network television, documentary film and large video projects for major companies. Robin’s work over 25 years has taken him to 40 states, 20 foreign countries, and into hundreds of children’s classrooms for educational projects. With a Photography degree from Layton School of the Arts in Milwaukee, he brings a sensitive artistic eye for composition and lighting to his shooting, and an uncanny instinct for catching special live-action moments as they unfold. Some of his clients include the National Geographic Channel, WGBH-TV, Dateline NBC, Apple Computer, and Oprah. Robin lives with his wife and son in Berkeley, California, and likes to fish.